Rider Slams Tt Organisers For Race Rejections

[Roger Smelly]

From IOM Today website

 

 

 

CHARACTER Wade Boyd has slammed the rejection of seven racing regulars from the centenary year as a 'fiasco'.

 

Wade Boyd The colourful Californian had spent thousands preparing to come for what would have been his 15th consecutive year of racing. His plans were thwarted when he was told he hadn't made the grade.

 

Mr Boyd claimed the Manx Motor Cycle Club had refused seven regular competitors, including himself. He said he felt 'shot down' by the decision.

 

He was told entries for the solo classes were significantly oversubscribed and the overall standard for this year's races was the strongest and highest it has ever been. This has meant more entries have been declined.

 

TT and motorsport development manager Paul Phillips said: 'We are sorry that Wade, and indeed any other rider who wishes to race, has not been able to have been accommodated.' He said there was only 85 places on the grid and all had been filled in each of the solo classes.

 

Every one of those riders, he said, were there on 'merit'.

 

'As with any other sporting event, qualification and achieving a competitive standard is a necessary requirement,' said Mr Phillips.

 

'Nowhere is this more apparent than at a motorsport event where safety requirements mean that we have to ensure that there is minimal disparity in standard between the front and back of the field. As a result of the qualification policy, we have arguably the strongest ever entry for the solo classes this year.'

 

He added: 'Three years ago, the event was being criticised because the standard of entry was perceived to be poor. Now the criticism is based on the fact that the entry is too strong!'

 

Mr Boyd – who last year came 54th in the Junior Supersport TT and the Superstock TT and 56th in the TT Superbike – had already started preparing for the festival, including transporting his bike 800 miles ready for shipping. He said his rejection was 'a big bummer for me and the TT and all the TT's fans!'

 

The privateer estimated the club's decision had cost him about $35,000 to $40,000. He intends to appeal the decision and has started a petition.

 

 

This is a disgrace these type of guys are the backbone of the TT and should be given the praise they deserve.

 

These type of people sing the praises of the isle of man, what message does this send out ?

[Juan Kerr]

'As with any other sporting event, qualification and achieving a competitive standard is a necessary requirement,' said Mr Phillips.

 

'Nowhere is this more apparent than at a motorsport event where safety requirements mean that we have to ensure that there is minimal disparity in standard between the front and back of the field. As a result of the qualification policy, we have arguably the strongest ever entry for the solo classes this year.'

 

Great quote. Could he have been more tactless. It says "you were good enough to race 15 times before when we needed starters but now we have a big event you can pi** off because your not up to scratch". Couldn't be clearer.

 

 

Do these people get PR training?

[wideload]

Do these people get PR training?

 

 

obviously from the same people who trained manx telecom staff

[chufty]

'As with any other sporting event, qualification and achieving a competitive standard is a necessary requirement,' said Mr Phillips.

 

'Nowhere is this more apparent than at a motorsport event where safety requirements mean that we have to ensure that there is minimal disparity in standard between the front and back of the field. As a result of the qualification policy, we have arguably the strongest ever entry for the solo classes this year.'

 

Great quote. Could he have been more tactless. It says "you were good enough to race 15 times before when we needed starters but now we have a big event you can pi** off because your not up to scratch". Couldn't be clearer.

 

 

Do these people get PR training?

 

Yes indeed its a shame Wayd wont be riding this year, but as the statment states the standard of entries this year is high and just like in any other sport quality comes first. Paul Phillips and his team have done a fantastic job so far so untill the fail get of his back.

As an example of the TT entry the last man away in the solos is one of last year MGP runners up, except for the accepted newcommers which the event has to have nearly every rider in the solos has lapped at over 118mph.

Just because a rider had competed for the past 10 years does not give him or her the right to an entry at the TT if that was the case Bobby Charlton would still be playing in the premier.

[Theodolite]

He [i}(Paul Phillips)[/i]P added: 'Three years ago, the event was being criticised because the standard of entry was perceived to be poor. Now the criticism is based on the fact that the entry is too strong!'

 

Although I agree with some of the the arguments for the MMCC and I understand also the turned down riders point of view, I saw this quote and thought, isn't this one of those 'Strawman' arguments described by VinnieK in another thread (smoking or Deemsters?) whereby although an argument is introduced by one party it is implied to come from the opposing party. A sort of method to take your eye off the subject.

 

Just a thought.

[integer]

Joe Public: "The TT is too dangerous - do something about it!"

 

*MMCC do something about it*

 

Joe Public: "Why are you ruining the TT, leave it alone"

 

 

[Hermes]

I would say that Wade is one of the more popular TT riders! He always pops up on the 'Who's Who' sections of the programs and websites.

 

The MMCC have shot themselves in the foot a little by denying him a place - if anyone pulls out then he should be in!

[%age]

I think this is one of those perennial arguments.

 

Apparently there are some riders who feel they have better points qualifications than others who have been accepted.

 

The iomtt.com forum goes to some depth on this matter.

 

Wade Boyd

Riders forced out of TT

TT 'fiasco'

 

there are other similar topics on the forum

[rallybug]

Entry requirements, from the IOMTT.com website:

 

Entries will be accepted in the following order of priority:-

1. Riders who finished in positions 1st to 30th in the corresponding race in 2006

2. Up to 30 additional riders in each race, based on previous fastest race laps

3. Up to 20 newcomers in each race

4. Additional riders selected at the discretion of the Organisers subject to a maximum of 85 entries in total in each race

 

Boyd had a race time of 1:21:57.55 average of 110mph (in 2005 on a GSX-R600 in the Supersport Junior B ) and apparently had brand-new Yamahas lined up for this year. In '06, he came 54th, 54th and 56th in the races he entered, which presumably led him to believe that he would qualify under requirement 2 above.

 

For comparison, in 2005, McGuiness' race time was 1:15:15.46 at an average of 120mph in the Supersport Junor A race (he failed to finish the Junior B).

 

That puts Wade's time at just under 7 mins behind McGuinness - I'd say that qualified him for the Supersport races at the least!

[Albert Tatlock]

It's commonsense that the TT was likely to get oversubscribed this year, so I would hope efforts were made by the organisers to contact everyone from the past. With this being centenary year, I think they should have reserved, say, 5 places on each race that should have been decided by 'committee' in the final months building up to the races. This is a special year, and it appears that several well known people from the recent past, and maybe even high level newcomers, may well have lost the opportunity to race, simply because they were 'late' applying. In terms of experience, there's no experience like having ridden in the TT before and made your name, and 5 such places would have enabled the organisers to avoid such bad PR.

 

This approach is what they call foresight, or risk management - when in any busy project you consider what can or could go wrong, and build yourself a contingency plan to deal with it.

[Cambon]

That puts Wade's time at just under 7 mins behind McGuinness - I'd say that qualified him for the Supersport races at the least!

 

I totally agree. Wade is well outside when it comes to the Senior, etc. but the 600 stock class is a very close race and he should be allowed into that at least.

[modey]

I would say that Wade is one of the more popular TT riders! He always pops up on the 'Who's Who' sections of the programs and websites.

 

The MMCC have shot themselves in the foot a little by denying him a place - if anyone pulls out then he should be in!

 

why? because he's " a character"?

 

 

Entry requirements, from the IOMTT.com website:

 

Entries will be accepted in the following order of priority:-

1. Riders who finished in positions 1st to 30th in the corresponding race in 2006

2. Up to 30 additional riders in each race, based on previous fastest race laps

3. Up to 20 newcomers in each race

4. Additional riders selected at the discretion of the Organisers subject to a maximum of 85 entries in total in each race

 

Boyd had a race time of 1:21:57.55 average of 110mph (in 2005 on a GSX-R600 in the Supersport Junior B ) and apparently had brand-new Yamahas lined up for this year. In '06, he came 54th, 54th and 56th in the races he entered, which presumably led him to believe that he would qualify under requirement 2 above.

 

For comparison, in 2005, McGuiness' race time was 1:15:15.46 at an average of 120mph in the Supersport Junor A race (he failed to finish the Junior B).

 

That puts Wade's time at just under 7 mins behind McGuinness - I'd say that qualified him for the Supersport races at the least!

 

Is it not possible that the 30 additional riders who did qualify under section 2 were actually faster than him?

[Lizardfire]

All the below are my points of view only.

 

Is the TT an event that has been growing over the past few years in such a way that that the caliber of rider has increased? Yes.

 

Have the times been getting quicker. Yes.

 

Have we been attracting higher profile riders to the TT. Yes.

 

Has the racing got better. Yes.

 

Is the TT gioing to be a belter this year. Yes.

 

I could go on but my point is everything that has happened during the last few years has only added and improved the whole racing program.

Do I really want to be sat at the Gooseneck and watch Wade Boyd pull a wheelie every time he comes out of the corner or do I want to see Guy Martin sticking it up the inside of Ian Hutchinson. Do the math.

 

You have the likes of McGuiness, Donald, and Martin who give 100% mile after mile and then you have the minority who go out there for a laugh and have a good chat in the pub later on. Thats fact. The minority couldn't give a stuff about where the came really all the want is the kudos that comes with the event. Sorry but that's just wrong.

And yes it's a dangerous sport to be involved with but should you really risk serious injury or death for pub banter?

 

Secondly. The NW200, southern100 and the post TT races at Billown to name but a few all ask for on the entry forms for your past history in racing both road and circuit.

So, when the organisers of such events see a European superstock regular or an Irish road racing talent wanting to enter their race, should they turn a potential talent down because if they didn't it might upset one of the stalwarts and characters of the event not getting and entry beacuse the organisers only wanted the talent? I think not.

 

Finally. If the racers that have not made the grade this year felt so strongly about the TT and to it's continued success I would have expected them to understand the reasons why these decisions have been made and to wish all the newcomers all the success in the world and not start to appeal and lodge petitions.

 

Thats my two bobs worth.